Review by SueW:
We got to The Bitter End at about 6.50pm and CC Coletti was still completing her sound check. As we waited outside on the street a few people around me remarked on how loud it sounded even out there. We were let in about 10 minutes late and we decided to sit in the second row of tables. Pretty soon almost all the seats were full and it was great to see so many people who go to all of Kasim’s gigs at this venue.

CC and her band (two guitarists, a keyboardist and a drummer) came on at about 7.40pm and played for about half an hour. It may have been a good set but unfortunately it was so unnecessarily L-O-U-D that after one song I went and sat at the front of the venue away from the stage as I wasn’t prepared to risk damaging my ears. Afterwards some of us even stood outside as it was that loud and we could still hear it quite clearly! I go to a lot of rock gigs but why on earth she thought it necessary to play at such a loud volume in a relatively small room is beyond me (and most of the people I spoke to). It was as loud as you would have it at a 12,000 seater Meat Loaf concert in Europe and it just distorted the sound. Someone I spoke to afterwards (who had stayed at the table) said that several people had their fingers in their ears during the set.

Kasim and Doug Kennedy came on stage at about 8.20pm to loads of applause. Unfortunately Jesse Gress was sick so couldn’t make the show tonight. As usual Kasim’s first song was Are You Happy Now? Driving to the venue tonight I finally discovered where Oyster Bay is as it was mentioned on the radio! I’d always thought it was in somewhere like Barbados or the Bahamas but apparently it’s on Long Island! They then went straight in Libertine in which Doug plays some great guitar at the beginning of the song, plus in the middle, although I missed Jesse’s playing in that part too (as Kasim just plays the melody). After that Kasim told us that it was going to be the only Utopia song that he was going to play again! There were quite a few laughs at that point so I think some people had read that in reviews of his other gigs!

Kasim then found someone who was from Queens before playing This Must Be Love. I know I’ve mentioned it before but I really like the part where they play the notes up the neck of their guitars!

It was then that Kasim spoke about the thing that we had all noticed and I’m sure was spoiling our enjoyment of the gig – the fact that the people in the bar area (who were there to see the next band) were talking so loudly that their sound was louder than Kasim’s music! After Kasim got their attention he (politely) told them all that he was trying to perform on stage, that we had paid good money to see him and that if their band was playing on stage then he would have enough respect to keep the noise down and requested that they did the same. Unfortunately it didn’t make any difference so Kasim said that he wasn’t going to play until they kept quiet. At this point Kasim’s audience started chanting "Shut up, shut up!" which made a bit of a difference for a while. Why on earth the manager at the venue didn’t intervene is beyond me and some fans said afterwards that they were going to e-mail in to complain about it.

We were then rewarded by another Utopia song – There Goes My Inspiration! That was followed by Kasim telling us that he wouldn’t be playing any more Utopia songs! Kasim then told us about the two House Parties he played (see my reviews of his Cleveland and Chicago gigs for the details). Kasim said that at the second show that people were talking and not listening to him and pointed out that it was like here! However the story has evolved slightly as he named the dog Dickens and said that he sold it a T-shirt and CD! Kasim then played Todd’s Cliché especially for Dickens!

Next we had Somebody Loves You for the first time at these gigs which was a nice surprise as I really like that song. They then went straight into Sometimes Love Is A Dangerous Thing. It was a great performance of the song but, having heard the three guitars playing it at the last few shows (especially with Jesse’s amazing lead guitar in the middle), I felt that tonight something was lacking.

Someone then called out something which Kasim thought was them asking for Wooly Bully so they played a totally impromptu performance of it which was great fun to see! There were a few words missing and Kasim had to tell Doug to play the lead part (or rather "take the goddam solo man!") but it was amazing to watch two talented musicians just playing that unrehearsed! Everyone joined in singing the chorus too.

Kasim’s own Sacrifice was next and that was a great performance especially with Doug playing lead in the middle. Tonight they went back to the muted guitar strings part at the end of the song. It was during that song that Kasim broke a string on his green guitar so he switched to his black one and Charlie (Kasim’s tech in Meat Loaf’s band) came on stage to change the string. By this time the noise was getting loud at the bar again so Kasim told us that the next time he plays here if we say that we were at this show, we’ll be able to get in for free! I doubt that anyone will take him up on that offer – I just hope that he plays somewhere else in New York City. Kasim then played his most recent song Watching The World Go By. There’s a line in that song that is "Wishing things would be quiet enough for me these days" and after he sang that people started clapping!

We then had one of the highlights of the gig for me as Kasim played The One Sure Thing! I really didn’t expect that he’d play that tonight as he was only doing a short set so I was delighted to hear it again! It’s such a beautiful song with wonderful words.

Kasim then paid a really moving tribute to Shelly (Michelle Mercaldo). Someone said afterwards that they had noticed that One World wasn’t on the set list so wasn’t sure if he would but someone else followed that up with that he had to as "this was her turf" which is a lovely expression. What Kasim said was as follows:
"In 1976 I joined Utopia. There was one particular fan that I had who followed me throughout the years. This particular girl was really, really special – she would come to all my solo shows, she would come to every Utopia show that we ever played, Todd shows and she was always at the back, jumping up and down, whooping and hollering, screaming at the top of her lungs! She was one of those people that you meet who had a good heart but Shelly lost her battle with cancer and about three weeks ago we heard that Shelly had passed away. She loved this song that I do right now. I miss her dearly but she’s in a good place and she’ll always be in my heart. Everyone who knows her should have her in their heart too so she’s never far away. So this is for Shelly. So if you know the words sing along."

Tonight’s performance of One World probably had more people in the audience than usual joining in and I’m sure that most of us could visualise Shelly bopping along to that song, especially at this venue!

Kasim then left the stage but, as people kept clapping that they wanted more, he soon returned with CC and one of her guitarists. He then told us this funny story about how he and CC had supposedly written a song together on tour and had submitted it to Meat Loaf. Apparently Meat Loaf complained that the song wasn’t good enough but that they liked it so they decided to play it tonight! They did say that they didn’t have a title for the song but CC suggested it was something to do with the snow so Kasim suggested Snowy New York. It was at this point I had guessed which song they were going to play and then I recognised the intro but most people didn’t until they started singing. Of course it was Jim Steinman’s Two Outta Three Ain’t Bad! Unfortunately Kasim messed up the third and fourth lines as he couldn’t remember the words! In the middle part instead of a crackerjack box CC sang a crunching munch box which Kasim picked her up on afterwards – CC said that she thought her version was better! It was lovely performance of the song as their voices blend well together.

All too soon for me (once again!) it was time for Kasim to leave the stage after another great gig (despite all the background noise)!

I’ve really enjoyed these 5 public gigs this month. It’s a shame that there weren’t more gigs (but that was outside of Kasim’s control) but at each one Kasim has played a brilliant set and I don’t believe that a single person went away without having had a wonderful time. He truly has an amazing talent and I SO wish that he could devote all his time to his solo career.

I just hope it’s not too long until he plays some more solo gigs.

The venue (taken from the KasimInfo.com Blog that day):
Kasim Sulton's gig in New York City tonight
00.01 - This is the fifth and final of 5 public gigs that Kasim Sulton is playing this month. Also on stage tonight with Kasim at these gigs are Jesse Gress and Doug Kennedy.

There is no guarantee but often Kasim's set at this venue is streamed on the Internet on the venue website!

This will be Kasim Sulton's fifth appearance at The Bitter End in his own right and his first in over a year. The Bitter End is advertised as "New York City's Oldest Rock Club" and has a very prestigious history. Click here to read it all but since 1961 loads of people who are famous names now have played at this venue. Click here to read the list but it includes stars like Woody Allen, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, Hall & Oates and Stevie Wonder!

One of the defining characteristics of The Bitter End is the brick wall that the stage is set against. According to one website The Bitter End can hold up to 350 people but it's well arranged so that everyone can see really clearly. There are tables right up to the front of the stage plus booths on the back wall or you can opt to sit at tables to the side area so that you look across the stage. There is also a bar area as soon as you walk into the venue which offers a good view too although you may have to put up with the next band arriving during Kasim's set! This is a venue that offers a good selection of drinks and they are all reasonably priced. If you sit at a table they like you to have a minimum of two drinks but there is no restriction at the bar.

The venue is really easy to find as it's in the center of Greenwich Village. The Bitter End website has a great page of directions which even includes if you're arriving by boat, helicopter or horse! There are also loads of places to park (for cars not helicopters!) in the immediate area too. If you can't find anywhere on the road, in the next block up Bleecker Street there's an underground parking lot which is very reasonably priced.

Pre-show page on KasimInfo.com:
Click here

Many thanks to RMAC for all the photos on this page.

Kasim Sulton's 2008 Gigs